Technical FAQ

Technical FAQ

This page answers frequently asked technical questions about Docuseek2.

1. What formats are the videos available in?
The videos on Docuseek2 encoded using the H.264 codec and delivered in either an MP4 container for desktops using Flash, or an M2TS container using HTML 5 for iOS devices.

Which players are needed (if any)?
We provide a player.

Are there multiple quality options?
Our films are encoded at four different bitrates for desktops (400, 800, 1600 and 2500 kbps), and two different bitrates for iOS (256 and 800 kbps), The best delivery bitrate is automatically chosen depending on the available bandwidth.

2. What percentage of the videos is closed captioned? If a small percentage, are there plans to have more/most/all captioned eventually?
As of August, 2015, a bit more than 1/3 of the titles are closed captioned (262 out of 678). About 65% of the titles are closed captioned or subtitled (many of the Docuseek2 titles are from overseas producers). Out goal is to eventually have all of the content closed captioned or subtitled.

3. How many simultaneous users can there be? Is there a limit?
We do not limit the number of simultaneous users that can watch Docuseek2 films.

4. Are videos chaptered or can smaller clips be made?
Docuseek2 provides a clip-making tool for registered users. Many titles are also chaptered.

5. Can you use in course management systems?
Docuseek2 films may integrated with the leading course management systems (CMS). We provide iframe code and permanent links. Docuseek2 also supports the LTI protocol which many CMS systems support. For more information, see the Integrating Docuseek2 help page.

6. Can individual titles be selected, or are you only offering pre-selected collections? If it’s a collection, will it continue to grow?
We provide several licensing models, including single title licenses. You may also select one of our curated collections, or curate your own. And of course you may license the entire collection. More information about licensing options can be found on the About Docuseek2 page.

7. How do you develop your collections?
The overall Docuseek2 collection is determined by the films that our participating distributors decide to make available for streaming. We are selective in the distributors that we invite to participate in Docuseek2. We focus on sources of independent, innovative, and critical documentary film appropriate for higher education.

8. Is there a full screen option for viewing? If so, how is the streaming quality in full screen viewing?
Yes, our films may be played in full-screen mode. The quality of the full-screen option will depend on your available bandwidth -- it sufficient bandwidth is available, the films will stream at 2500 kbps, which gives a very nice picture.

9. Is there a download option?
No, our films are not downloadable.

10. How are the videos accessed?
The films you license from us may be viewed from the Docuseek2 website, via an embedded player (e.g., on a course page), or via a link accessed from a course page or the library catalog. We generate a unique permanent URL for each title that you license. We will provide you with a custom Docuseek2 home page that your users can use to search for films, view film information, and view the films. This home page can be linked from your site as appropriate -- for example in a database listing or a LibGuide.

11. Are usage statistics available for your product(s)? Are they counter/sushi compliant?
We provide usage data for your licensed content via the My Account page on the website. The data may be downloaded as a CSV file also for further analysis. Our usage data is not COUNTER compliant at this time. The usage data provides the same information as the COUNTER statistics, including impressions (the number of times a player is loaded), views (the number of times the user starts playing a film), percentage viewed, engagement at different points in the film, and the date content was last accessed. See the Reports page for more information.

12. How is licensing handled? Is it per semester, per year, 3-5 years, more? Is it for the entire university or consortium? Are there any limitations such as for one class only or one semester only? Who has access and for what period of time?
We provide a range of licensing options. You may license titles for one week, one semester (110 days), one year, three years, or for Life of File. Any licensed content is available to all authorized users at your institution. Consortium wide access is available.

13. Can you put a link to the video into the library's catalog?
Yes. We strongly encourage you to include your Docuseek2 content in your library catalog. We provide MARC records for all of our titles to simplify the cataloging process at your institution.

14. Does your collection include free video material available elsewhere? If so, what percentage?
Docuseek2 is the exclusive source for the vast majority of our streaming content for colleges and universities. A few films from the National Film Board may be viewable from their website by individuals -- maybe 1% of the titles.

15. Do you provide perpetual licenses?
We provide Life of File licenses. Life of File licenses have an associated annual server fee to cover the cost of streaming.

16. How do you address bandwidth issues?
We use a variable bit rate (VBR) delivery model. With VBR, our streaming platform regularly polls the player to determine the maximum available delivery rate and switches between the available encodings (see above) to deliver the best image possible.

17. Do you provide MARC records for individual titles? What is the source of the records?
We provide MARC records for all of our titles. Our first records came from American University; a second batch came from Marc 4 Media; and the majority of our titles, for the last year and a half come the The Donahue Group.

18. Do you offer a patron-driven acquisitions model? What are the terms/triggers? Is there a minimum deposit?
We offer a patron-driven acquisition model. The terms and trigger are negotiable. There is no minimum deposit.

19. How do you mitigate loss of titles? How do you communicate title loss to libraries?
So far we have not lost any titles. Depending on the type of license arrangement you have made, we can discuss a pro-rated refund or an exchange for titles that are no longer available. In the event the we do lose access to titles, we will communicate that to licensing libraries by email at least 30 days before the film is pulled, barring exceptional circumstances.

Questions were provided by WALDO for their Streaming Media Vendor Day, April, 2015. Here is a the Technical PowerPoint used at that event.